Parking misery in Wetherby

Fed up with losing her parking space on a daily basis, a Wetherby resident is speaking out about why she thinks this keeps happening.

On Victoria Street there are 18 houses and 24 parking spaces and each resident has a permit for a space. There are, however, six businesses that have a maximum of three parking spaces allowed and this is causing problems for people living on the street.

Emma Butterfield has lived on Victoria Street for eight years and told the Wetherby News that in the past six months, when more companies have started leaving large vehicles overnight and over the weekend, it has got progressively worse.

Mrs Butterfield said: “LCC issue these passes because businesses pay for them. I think they are trying to get as much money in as they can.

“Usually if I can’t get parked I have to wait. Because you only have one allocated zone, if you park in a different space you get a ticket, so it isn’t worth the risk.

“A few of the businesses have said they are annoyed as well and they can’t get a space so they are having to pay at the lorry park and every day the £2 mounts up.

“The businesses that are on the street I don’t have a problem with because they work business hours and go home at 6pm, but the other companies leave them there all night and all weekend and it is making it difficult to get parked.”

LCC issue parking permits to businesses for £70 a year per permit.

While there are businesses on the street using the spaces, which Mrs Butterfield said she accepts, she takes issue with companies not based on the street using spaces already in use and has contacted LCC to that effect.

An LCC spokesman said: “We make every effort to provide suitable parking regulation in the areas we are responsible for.

“We’re monitoring the situation in and around Victoria Street, listening to the voices of local residents, and a decision about future parking arrangements will be made in coming weeks.

“We continually review areas where there problems reported and revise enforcement when the evidence shows that is needed.

“Often this means trying to balance the needs of local residents, businesses and visitors to provide a solution which makes the best of limited spaces.

“Unfortunately there are times when we know not everyone will be satisfied with parking availability, but we are committed to doing our best to minimise disruption and inconvenience as much as possible.”